Google Apps

Here's some important news about Google Appsbut don't worry, there's no need for you to take any action. We just want you to know that we're making a change to the packages we offer.

Starting today, we're no longer accepting new sign-ups for the free version of Google Apps (the version you're currently using). Because you're already a customer, this change has no impact on your service, and you can continue to use Google Apps for free.

Should you ever want to upgrade to Google Apps for Business, you'll enjoy benefits such as 24/7 customer support, a 25 GB inbox, business controls, our 99.9% uptime guarantee, unlimited users and more for just $5 per user, per month.

You can learn more about this change in our Help Center or on the Enterprise Blog.

Agreed. I'm glad I got in before they discontinued new registrations. However the writing was ultimately on the wall some time ago when they started to restrict the number of users allowed for free.

My wife's company was looking for email hosting. Their ISP offered webmail, but it really sucked. They looked at Google Apps for Business, but just couldn't justify $60/year * 30 users. 3 year cost easily could have justified a dedicated Exchange server since they could get non-profit pricing. Far better solution and far more capable for less.

They are a behavioral care non-profit and likely fall under the "Hospitals and health care organizations" disqualifier. Microsoft has a similar stipulation but specifically excludes behavioral care as part of their health care exclusion.

It wouldn't make financial sense to try to become a non-profit to simply avoid the Google fees.

stray mentioned the non-profit pricing as my original post mentioned they would qualify for Microsoft's non-profit pricing. He wasn't suggesting that they become a non-profit if they weren't already.

They already are a 501(c)(3) non profit. However since they deal with behavior therapy (they are a autism center for children) they likely would not qualify for Google's non-profit pricing since it explicitly excludes health care organizations. Microsoft has a similar exclusion, but excludes behavior therapy from the medical exclusion.

The average cost of becoming a non-profit is immaterial anywhere in this discussion because they already one already. If they were not, $800 would be a drop in the bucket compared to what the additional taxes, fees, and other costs would be would be just for their non-technology expenditures through the normal course of business.

Just considering the cost of what Google charges per user per month, it actually WOULD make financial sense for them to become a non-profit (not considering any limitations or other effects it would have on the business) if they have 14 or more employees (they have significantly more): 14 employees * $5/month * 12 months = $840

Sounds like cdru 's situation is already settled, but in my experience, it can't hurt to put in your application to Google if you've got 501(c)(3) determination letter. It doesn't cost anything, they respond in a week or two, and the worst that can happen is that they reject you. Things like "behavior therapy" might not be classified as health care...could be "school." You never know.

I had no trouble helping an organization that deals with at-risk for AIDs teens... essentially a behavior modification and education program to lower their risk. Is it health care? Is it a social program? Is it a school? Anyway, Google approved them, no fuss, no muss.

And... the notion of cost justifying the switch from for-profit to non-profit in order to get a better deal on Google or other software services is absurd. There's one other big hitch: you've got to act like a non-profit, and the IRS has a nice booklet of rules for that!--V-Rtifacts - When Virtual Reality Was More Than Virtual

I really liked Rackspace eMail when I ran my business, it is only $2 / month per user. They even offer free DNS hosting on the cloud accounts. You don't have to have services with them (last I checked) in order to get the free DNS hosting.